The Beginning of an End
by Scratch
Summary: The death of an old Animorph, and the birth of new one. Will the new Animorph be beneficial to the group? Maybe, but first she decides that she must find her own way. This is two chapters, so please read both! Thanks!
1. The Beginning of an End, Part 1

The Beginning of an End By: Scratch 

My name is Tobias. I am an Animorph, a person who can morph into any animal they can touch. I am trapped in red-tailed hawk morph, in other words, I am a nothlit. Red-tails have very good eyes, and I have been thankful for that many times, particularly this time. I don't have much to do as a red-tail except hunt and talk to Ax, another Animorph who is an andalite. I had already hunted and eaten my breakfast, and Ax was asleep. So I cruised around a little, then headed for Rachel's house. Although I was far away, I could see clearly into her window. She was fast asleep, and I didn't want to wake her up. I started to fly away, but then something caught my eye. A dark figure zoomed past Rachel's door, dropping a little note in front of it. I would have gone after her, but she was as quick as a cat. I flew over and landed at Rachel's doorstep. I picked up the note in my beak. It could have been something for Rachel's mom or sisters, but somehow I doubted that a human-panther would drop it off as they zoomed away. I lifted my wings, note in beak, and flew to my meadow. 

I arrived in my meadow shortly. I did a nice landing into the grass. I didn't like to morph pointlessly, but on the ground hawks are open to predators and in a tree it would be hard to read the note. I morphed to human. I picked up the note out of the grass, and on the front of it I was suprised to see the words: Rachel: Give this to the hawk but don't dare read it. 

The hawk! The hawk was me! I cautiously opened the note as if it had a bomb inside it. It read: Tobias: Stay in your meadow in the afternoon. I have things to tell you. I'll be waiting... 

Scratch 

Very strange. I didn't know if this was a Yeerk trap or if it was for real. How could I know? But I had to check it out. I flew quickly to Jake's house. Through his window I could see that he was still asleep. I didn't care right then. We had to talk about this mysterious Scratch and her note. <Jake! Jake! Wake up, man,> I said. He lifted up his head. "What? Is there trouble?" he whispered. <Well... Not exactly. But we need to have a meeting. Now.> I said. "I'll call the others," Jake said. 

We all assembled in Cassie's barn about a half an hour later. That is, all the Animorphs. There's only six of us, fighting a slug race determined to take over the world. There's Jake, the sometimes annoying unofficial leader, Marco, Jake's wise-cracking best friend who doesn't think too much of me, Cassie, the animal lover and expert, Rachel, the beautiful battle-raging war princess who makes my heart ache, Ax, our andalite friend who is my uncle (don't ask how), and last but not least, me, Bird-boy. What a strange little group. 

"So what is this all about, Tobias?" Jake asked. "There better be a good reason for getting us out of bed," Marco grumbled. <Well,> I said, ignoring Marco, <I was flying past Rachel's house when I saw this dark, cat-like, human sprint past her door dropping a note as she went. I picked it up, and read it. It told Rachel to give the note "to the hawk." I assume that's me. It then said inside to stay in my meadow in the afternoon. Then it was signed, "I'll be waiting... Scratch." Pretty weird huh?> "The question is, is it a Yeerk trap?" Jake asked. "We'll have to find out. Tobias could talk to this Scratch person in hawk morph, since she seems to know he is a hawk already. If she is a controller, we could hide out in battle morph and be ready to kick butt if she tried anything." "Let's do it," said Rachel. "Big surprise there," said Marco. "Well, it is risky, but it's worth a try. I'm for it. Cassie? Ax? What do you think?" <I'll vote with you, Prince Jake,> said Ax. "I think we should do it," said Cassie. "We could end up getting powerful allies like the Chee. It's worth the risk." "Then it's settled. Everyone meet up in the woods around the meadow at 12:00 and Tobias, be at home as a hawk," Jake said. "All right, everyone, let's get some sleep." 

I sat there at 12:00 in my tree waiting nervously and expectantly. What if it wasn't a Yeerk trap? What if it was a new ally? Or better yet, one of my lost family members? The other five were in the woods close enough to hear me and protect me if needed. Then I heard a slight rustle. All my senses were on the alert. A figure wearing a dark cloak stepped out of the shadows. "Tobias?" she whispered in a low voice, "Is that you?" <Thought-speak to her. She looks okay. We're right behind you.> I recognized this to be Jake's thought-speak voice. <Yes. I'm the hawk,> I said. "Boy, you didn't used to look like that. Before you went to the construction site," she said. <What? Who are you? Take off that cloak and show yourself,> I said. She let the cloak drop. She had scraggely long brown hair and brown eyes. She looked kind of like me and was about my age, I guessed. 

"You can call me Scratch," she said. <That surely isn't your real name,> I said. "You can call me Scratch," she said, more firmly this time. <What are you here to tell me?> I asked. <And how do you know what I used to look like? And about the construction site?> "I was there," she said simply. <Why?> I asked. "You and I are the last of our family. I went to find you," she said. "I am your sister." 

<What!?> I yelled. "My aunt didn't care about me. So when she shipped me to our uncle and you supposedly went to our aunt's, I doubted it and ran away. I found you and followed you through the construction site that night. I know everything. I followed you guys on your missions as much as I could. I couldn't bring up the nerve to tell you until now," Scratch said. I was stunned. A sister?! Crazy! She must have been a Yeerk! 

"I know what you're thinking. No, I'm not a controller. Tie me up for three days. I am totally truthful," she said. <Guys? You hearing this? Demorph and come on out,> I said privatly to the rest of the Animorphs. "I am human also. No holograms or anything like that," she assured me. Then the other Animorphs stepped out of the woods. "Cassie, Rachel, Marco, Ax in human morph, and... Jake," said Scratch. "Wow. She knows all about us," said Jake. "We should... well, excuse us, er... Scratch." "Sure. I'll just wait here," said Scratch. We all went into the woods. "What can we do about her? She knows our secret. If she became a controller..." "We should make her an Animorph," said Rachel. "But you know what happened the last time," said Cassie. "We should wait a while and think about it. How about we decide after tomorrow's mission. Agreed?" said Jake. "Agreed," we all replied. 

Scratch, Ax, and I hung out in the woods the next couple of days. We talked about the missions Scratch had seen. I really thought she should become an Animorph. She was my sister, after all. Today was Saturday and we were going to go to the Yeerk pool in mouse morph. They would be pretty small, but they would still have a brain. We would follow a controller into the mall and into the entrance to the pool. Then we would attempt to free some humans. I didn't know how it would go. We flew to the mall in bird morph, with Scratch still in the woods. We went into the bathroom and came out as mice. I didn't like being in the morph that I usually ate. We followed a controller and hid among the cages of free hosts. But suddenly, I heard a scream escape the mouth of a Hork-Bajir. "Andalite!" We zoomed across the floor a quick as a mouse can zoom. But then I heard a loud stomp. I looked behind my small body quickly and saw an Andalite hoof. We had to get away. For some reason, Visser Three didn't come after us. We didn't care about reasons. We just wanted to get out of there. We escaped the Yeerk pool and flew to Cassie's barn. "Well, that was a big bust," I said. "Sure was," said Rachel. Cassie then said, "Hey, where's Jake?" 

My name is Jake. Visser Three kept his gigantic hoof on my tail. <Hah! I finally caught one of the andalite bandits! Demorph now. Your time limit is almost up. I could really use another andalite controller,> the Visser sneered. Five minutes. Five minutes until I was trapped as a mouse forever. But I would never reveal my true form. 

Ten minutes later the Visser said, <Oh, your time limit has passed. Too bad. I really could have used an andalite controller. Now you'll just die.> "Cherrrup!" a Hork-Bajir called as he held me, a mouse nothlit, by the tail. He suddenly let me drop. I fell a long way. I was relieved to be on the ground again. But that thought only lasted a minute as I saw gaping Taxxon mouths coming at me... 

My name is Scratch. I went to Cassie's barn, as Tobias had told me to do the day before. When I arrived, I saw Marco, Rachel, Cassie, Ax, and Tobias with solemn expressions on their faces. "What do you guys want?" I asked. "Well..." Cassie began. Then she broke out in tears. Ax said, "Prince Jake was caught by Visser Three last night. We believe he is... no longer among us." "Oh no, "I said. <But... But we made a decision,> said Tobias, while Cassie looked up, drying her tears. <We want you to become... one of us.> "I... I'm honored. Thank you. Thank you for... trusting me," I said. Tobias stepped aside. Where he had been standing, there was a blue box. <Touch it,> said Tobias. I stepped forward, and put a hand on the box. I felt a tiny tingle go through me as I gained morphing power. Tobias then said, <To mourn an end, but to celebrate a new beginning.> 


	2. The Beginning of an End, Part 2

The Beginning of an End: Part 2  
By: Scratch  
  
  
I sat there, awake in my tree. My name is Tobias. I am a red-  
tailed hawk nothlit. What does that mean, you ask? Well, basically it means   
that I am a human... stuck in a hawk's body for the rest of my life. Not that   
I really mind. I was lucky. I got stuck in a body with wings.  
My keen eyes searched the meadow for a human figure. I was   
waiting there for her. My sister, Scratch. The newest Animorph.  
At last I saw her. Quickly, silently running to the base of the   
tree that I was on. Or, at least I saw her dark cloak zipping my way.   
At last she reached the tree. She put down the hood of her cloak   
and said, "Tobias?"  
I fluttered down onto the tall grass, and quickly morphed to   
human. Since Scratch didn't have anywhere to go, she often came here in the   
meadow to be with me. We both liked it here.  
  
"Hey there, Scratch," I greeted her.  
  
"Hey, Tobias. How are you doing?" she replied.  
  
"I'm okay," I said. "How are you?"  
  
"Fine, same... what else do I say?" Scratch said.  
  
"I know how you feel. So what's been going on?" I asked.  
  
"Nothing, as usual. That's why I came here. ...Tobias? Do you   
ever... ever feel like running away? Just leaving it all... the fighting, our   
friends, this habitat? Ever?" Scratch asked suddenly.  
  
"Well, Scratch... of course I do. I do probably more than anyone   
else. Because, in a way, I already have run away," I said.  
  
She looked at me. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean... well, look at me. I'm truly a hawk. I'm not this human   
boy. I guess you could say I became a hawk to run away, to escape."  
  
"But it wasn't your fault you became a hawk. You were in a tight   
spot," Scratch pointed out.  
  
"Yes, that's true. But... I think sub-conciously... maybe I   
trapped myself on purpose. Like inside I really wanted to. I wanted to just   
run away, and I thought I could do that by becoming a hawk. Perhaps it's what   
I truly wished," I said.  
  
"Hmmm... I guess so... maybe. I think it would be... kind of   
neat... to run away, to live life by yourself, as an animal," said Scratch.  
  
I chuckled. "What animal would you be?"  
  
"I would be... a cougar. A beautiful, independent, wild spirit   
taking the form of a powerful wildcat. Definitely. That's what I'd be,"   
Scratch said wistfully.  
  
We sat there for a while, looking at the sky. I was a bit put off   
by Scratch's seriousness. But she definitely wasn't playing around. I said   
this to break the silence.  
  
"Hey, you know, you could at least morph a cougar. Be one for two   
hours at a time."  
  
Scratch's face lit up. "That would be... wonderful. But where   
could we find a cougar? The zoo doesn't have any."  
  
"Well, I'm sure this forest does. We could fly as birds of prey   
to look for a cougar, and when we find one, you could morph back to human,   
and if you were brave enough... you could aquire it," I said.  
  
"I'm brave enough. I'd do anything to be a cougar, even for a   
short time," Scratch said excitedly.  
  
"Well, then let's do it tomorrow," I said, knowing it would make   
her happy.   
  
"Yes! I can't wait! But now, if we're going to do it, we should   
get some sleep. Goodnight, Tobias. Thank you for the wonderful plan," Scratch   
said, and lay down in the tall, soft grass to sleep, a contented smile on her   
normally-hidden face.  
  
"Goodnight, Scratch," I said to her, even though she was already   
drifting off. Even if it was going to be hard to find a cougar, it was worth   
it to see Scratch so happy. Perhaps it was something she needed. And with   
that thought, I morphed to red-tail and went to sleep.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"C'mon Tobias, let's go!" Scratch said impatiently the next   
morning.  
  
"Alright, alright, we're going. Start your morph," I said.  
  
I watched Scratch's odd face and scraggly hair begin to melt   
into the feathers of a bird of prey. A golden eagle, to be exact. I morphed   
to red-tail. In a few minutes, we were two birds standing in the grass. It   
felt strange, my red-tail body was very nervous. After all, I was standing   
next to an enemy and predator of mine: the golden eagle. But I knew Scratch   
could control her morph and wouldn't let anything happen.  
  
I'm going, Tobias! she yelled, and took off flying. I   
boosted myself into the air and followed quickly.  
  
Let's split up to look for the cougar. But not too far, so   
we're in range for thought-speak, I said.  
  
Roger that! Scratch said happily.  
  
I sighed inwardly. She flew away from me and we began our   
search for the cat.  
  
About twenty minutes later, I could hear her scream in   
thought-speak.  
  
I see one! I've spotted it! A large, healthy, mature female   
to the north! Meet me in the air before you land, Scratch said.  
  
I flew until I saw Scratch in the air, circling.  
  
Do you see her? she said.  
  
Oh yeah. Taking a snooze, hmm? I said.  
  
A perfect oppurtunity for us! I'm landing! she said, and   
circled swiftly down to the cougar. I followed.   
Finally we landed near her. We were very quiet, so she wasn't   
aware of us.   
  
Okay. I'll morph, you stay in this tree so she won't get you   
if she wakes up. I'll aquire her as quickly as possible! said Scratch.  
  
Be careful, Scratch. Don't do anything dangerous, I warned.  
  
I laugh in the face of danger! she cried. I groaned.  
  
She morphed to human, and swiftly crept to the cat. She came   
very close, face-to-face with the sleeping animal. Suddenly, the cougar's   
eyes flashed open, revealing sparkling green. As swift as the cougar   
Scratch's hand flew to the animal's chest, and she began to aquire her. The   
green glitter of the cougar's eyes disappeared when her eyes fluttered shut.   
She was in a trance as her DNA entered Scratch's mind and body. And then, it   
was over. Scratch sped quietly over the grass, away from the puzzeled cat,   
and morphed as quickly as she could back to golden eagle. I saw her, and we   
both flew away back to my meadow.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"That was wonderful! You did great!" I said later after we had   
arrived at the meadow and morphed. "Are you going to try out the morph?"  
  
Scratch's face changed. "Oh... yeah, but I'll do it later. Right   
now I have to go." Her face turned into a grin. "I'll see you later,   
though. Thanks so much for helping me and all, Tobias," she said and ran off.  
What was with her? I wondered. Well, it was probably nothing to worry about.   
Scratch has always been unpredictable.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Tobias, have you seen Scratch around? Cassie has informed me   
that she would like to have a meeting. Even though we are not fighting this   
week, she wants to plan another trip to the Yeerk pool, Ax said to me the   
next day. The Animorphs had decided to take a break from fighting this week,   
but there was a reason. We were saving our energy for a wonderful trip to the   
Yeerk pool. Wonderful my ass. Or, I mean, wonderful my tail feathers. Yeah,   
right.  
  
"No, I haven't seen her, which is strange, because she usually   
hangs with me." I hadn't told the other Animorphs about her aquiring the   
cougar yet.  
  
If you see her please tell her that Cassie would like to hold a   
meeting in her barn tomorrow, Ax said and galloped off. It was strange. I   
hadn't seen her since aquiring the cougar, which was a few days ago. I flew   
into the sky to look for her.  
I had flown around all day through the woods, with no sign of my   
sister. Where could she be?  
I then saw a cougar, sitting on a high hill, in front of the   
sunset on the horizon.  
  
Scratch? Is that you? I asked in thought-speak. The cougar   
looked around. Her gaze fell on me, in the sky.  
  
Tobias. Yes, it's me. Come over here. I have something to talk   
to you about, she said.  
  
I landed next to her, and morphed to human. "What's up?" I said.  
  
The cougar seemed to sigh. Tobias... I... I have a confession to   
make.  
  
"Scratch, what?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. She sounded   
serious, even in thought-speak. "You can tell me."  
  
Well... I... this is... I can't change back to my human body,   
she said quickly.  
  
"Of course you can. Why not?" I said. Then the truth dawned on   
me. "Scratch... you... you're a... YOU TRAPPED YOURSELF!?"  
  
I... Tobias...  
  
"Scratch, why did you do such a thing? Scratch!!!" I yelled in   
frustration. She threw away her life. It was a mistake. It was over for her   
now. "You've made a terrible mistake!"  
  
Tobias! Tobias... please. Let me explain, said Scratch.  
  
"Okay. Go ahead."  
  
Tobias... I needed to do this. It was not a mistake. I tried   
this morph. I became the animal of evolved beauty and precise function. I   
became the wild independent spirit I have always admired. And then I   
realized... I wanted to stay this way. Forever. I wanted to live out my life   
as this beautiful animal.  
  
Her green eyes blinked.  
  
Please don't be angry with me. I know it was a selfish thing to   
do... but I belong in the wild. I think I belong out here, as a cougar. I am   
this animal. I want to hunt, to eat, to sleep in the way she does. This is   
how I want to live my life. As a cougar.  
  
I was at a loss for words. She just poured out her heart and soul   
to me. I should have been mad... but I wasn't.  
  
"Scratch... I'm not angry at you, because... I understand. I'm   
trapped, too. But I'm shocked. I didn't want to be trapped as a red-tail. I   
wish I were human to this day," I said.  
  
Tobias... what you don't understand is... I'm not trapped. I am   
a cougar. I want to be a cougar. I feel it's what I've always been meant to   
be, Scratch said.  
  
"I understand. I'm not mad. But... if you are going to live as an   
animal... does this mean you aren't going to fight anymore? Will I ever see   
you again?" I asked.  
  
Scratch choked up. I'm... so sorry... Tobias... she said, and I   
could tell she was crying in her mind. We'll... we'll see eachother   
sometimes. Of course, we'll run into eachother in the woods and... I'll visit   
you sometimes. About fighting? Tobias, I've given up my human life. I can't   
fight with you... or see you... but... there will be times when... I will   
help you. When you desperatly need it. But I will... live my life as this   
cat. I can't take part with anything anymore. I'm so sorry, Scratch said,   
crying hard in her mind. You could almost see her shed tears from her cougar   
eyes.  
  
Tobias... please... tell the others. The other Animorphs. They   
won't understand... but tell them anyway. I have to leave now... to begin my   
new life. Goodbye, brother... Tobias.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Today was the day. The day after I talked to Scratch. This was   
the day I had to tell the other Animorphs about her. It would be extremely   
hard, because I knew they wouldn't feel the same way I did. I was deeply   
saddened by what she had done, especially if she felt she absoulutely HAD to   
do it. I was even angry, a little. But I could forgive her. I had been in her   
place once. But I knew the others would be furious.  
  
Ready to go, Tobias? Ax said.  
  
Yes. I have something to tell everyone about at the meeting, I   
said.  
  
Does it have anything to do with Scratch not coming? asked Ax.  
  
You might say that, I said, and cringed inwardly. We headed to   
Cassie's barn.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"You had something you wanted to talk to us about, Tobias?"   
Cassie said when Ax and I arrived.  
  
"Uh... yes. It's about my sister, Scratch. She did something the   
other day," I said cautiously.  
  
"Well, what is it, Bird-boy? Spill the beans," Marco said.  
  
"Well... er, uh... Scratch sort of... trapped herself," I spit   
out.  
  
"WHAT?!" everyone yelled.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"What did she trap herself as?"  
  
"How did it happen?"  
  
"Did you see it?"  
  
All the other Animorphs barraged me with questions.  
  
"Stop! Stop! I'll tell you," I said.  
  
Everyone was silent. "I saw her one day, yesterday in fact, as a   
cougar. I stopped to talk to her when she told me. She said she felt she had   
to do it. It was her calling. Like she felt being a cougar was the way she   
was meant to be. She felt trapped and had to get free. This was her way of   
freedom."  
  
"Well, is she still going to fight with us?" Rachel asked.  
  
"Um... no. She wants to live her life as an actual cougar. Live   
as an animal. She admires them," I told the others.  
  
"How could she? She betrayed us!" Marco hissed.  
  
"Please. Don't be too angry, Marco. She just felt like she had to   
run away. I know how she feels. I'm sure we all do," I said  
  
"But that doesn't mean we go and do it," said Rachel angrily.  
  
"You guys, we all feel we have to run away sometimes. Scratch has   
had a tough life. She may have felt stronger than the rest of us. Maybe she   
was right. Maybe she was meant to be a cougar. If that is what her instinct   
told her to do, then she was right. We can get along without her," said   
Cassie.  
  
"Thanks for understanding, Cassie," I said. I then said to the   
others, "Please don't be angry at Scratch. Forgive her. We all have to do our  
own thing. Scratch had to be a cougar to find herself. She just had to find her  
own way."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
